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Whether we like it or not, we live in a world where it is more common to take a picture of our lunch than a picture of our family. It is almost expected of us to post on social media about whatever cool event we attended so that all of our followers can see how fun our Friday night was. Snapchat and Instagram Stories give users the unique ability to basically live stream every moment of their day. The two features seem identical, but there are a few small differences that set the two apart from each other.

Maybe you know Spotify as the app you open every time you go on a jog or hop in the car. Maybe you know Spotify as the awkward cousin of Apple Music or a copy-cat version of Pandora. What you may not know? Spotify provides crucial analytics to its artists through Spotify for Artists.

Every organization wants to produce relevant content that engages audiences. As a leader in social media engagement, Instagram comes with its own set of best-practices and guidelines. Creating a cohesive Instagram feed is the latest of these tips and tricks.

It’s been quite the week for Facebook. While focus remains mainly on Facebook’s new “Stories” features, they also rolled out a series of business updates. These new Facebook updates include a “call-to-action” feature and a total redesign of Ad Delivery Insights’ board. Here’s all you need to know including our tips for best practice:

Social media makes big data collection dangerously easy. By the end of this year, there’ll be nearly a billion people on this planet that actively use social networking sites. There are 48 hours of video uploaded to YouTube every single minute. There are 200 million Tweets posted every day. The average Facebook user creates 90 pieces of content each month. Back in the year 2000, about 100 billion photos were shot worldwide, but only a minuscule proportion of them were actually uploaded online. In 2010, only on Facebook, in a single month, 2.5 billion photos were uploaded. The internet and its content expands at a shocking rate, creating an almost unlimited data base. The more we share, the more data we produce. Consequently, the more data we produce, the more scientist study and understand us.

Millennials control the future of charitable giving. As Baby Boomer and Gen X donors age, nonprofits are desperate for new ways to engage millennial donors. This task, however, has proven daunting. Though millennials are the biggest generation since the Baby Boomers, they currently contribute only about 11 percent of all charitable donations.

Ten years ago the term ‘hashtag’ did not exist. Originally referred to as a pound sign or number sign, hashtag is a recent nickname. Now it is one of the most recognized trends on social media. It has become a part of pop culture. So how did it all begin? What is the history of the hashtag?

Most social media platforms started with a simple purpose. Facebook started as a way for college students to communicate with one another. Snapchat began as a way to communicate through pictures that would disappear. Twitter started off as a site for users to share brief status updates with others. Instagram was for users to share pictures in an online photo album for friends to view. Over the years each of these social media sites have evolved. Today, the evolution of social media continues and businesses struggle to keep up.

The world of social media changes constantly, while some organizations struggle to keep up. With rapid app updates and shifting trends, utilizing social media management tools is essential to the success of any savvy organization. Continue reading →

A few years ago it would have been rude for a Hollywood celebrity to be on their phone at an award show. But today that is not the case. Just check social media during tonight’s Oscars for proof that celebrities were on their social media platforms. From just a few years ago to now, there has been a major shift in what is deemed acceptable social media practices at Hollywood’s biggest nights. This change is a result of the large role that social media has started to play at ceremonies like the Academy Awards, Golden Globes, and Grammys. The pioneering moment where social media officially became a big part of award shows was when Ellen DeGeneres took a star-studded selfie at the 2014 Oscars. From that moment on, award show hosts have tried to create viral moments on social media.Continue reading →

Recently the CEOs of large corporations including Airbnb, Tesla, Square and Twitter have begun asking for feedback from their customers on a new social media platform: Twitter. Although companies have been utilizing Twitter as a means of communicating with their clients, it hasn’t been until recently that CEOs themselves have utilized the site. Through Twitter, CEOs were able to directly ask their clients what their company, product or service was missing.Continue reading →

Instagram is a thriving social media platform for individuals and businesses alike. The app enables photos to be shared privately or publicly. Private accounts allow individuals to choose who may see their photos, while public accounts can be viewed by anyone. Businesses typically use public accounts, allowing customers to easily view, like and follow their Instagram.

Businesses may focus on two primary audiences when using Instagram. The first is existing customers. Existing customers may follow the brand’s account to keep up with new product releases, store openings or other important information. The second audience is potential customers. A business Instagram account is a great snapshot into the life of a brand. Potential customers can get a feel for what the business offers without first encountering a storefront or website. They may also show viewers a unique behind-the-scenes glimpse into the brand.

Additionally, products or services may be described and linked from the Instagram page to their business website. For example, a clothing store may post a photo of a new yoga pant and provide the direct link to the product on the Instagram page. This offers a unique opportunity to make Instagram a sales platform in addition to a social media platform.

Whether a business seeks to keep their current customers up to date, or spread awareness for their brand, Instagram is a great platform to strengthen relationships and drive sales.

With the new ability for users to stream live video, Instagram and Facebook have both began to encroach on Snapchat’s long held territory.

The ability to share a personal video, a snapshot of a person’s experience or a window into their lives was how Snapchat revolutionized the social media world. Users were able to communicate with each other through shared sights and experiences. Instead of sending text messaged to explain what was going on, users had the ability to show their surroundings in live time. It didn’t take long for Instagram to see that a picture is worth a thousand words, but a video is worth ten million. So they decided to allow users to post photos as well as minute long videos.

The NBA has followed the NFL’s lead yet again this week. The trolling that has entertained basketball fans and social media followers for the past few years is coming to an end as the NBA issues social media guidelines restricting what teams can say (whether in jest or in seriousness) on their social media platforms. But the real problem is, why do these professional leagues want to ruin the fun for the fans? Continue reading →

Ten years ago you got a job by cold calling and crossing your fingers. Today it is a much different story. Getting a job, moving up in your career and meeting new people is becoming more about your personal branding. A big part of this shift is establishing your reputation online. In today’s digital age you are much more than your resume. Your digital footprint establishes your personal brand and allows anyone, such as prospective employers to get to know you better.

The 2016 presidential election was anything but ordinary. This crazy election had polar opposite candidates, zealous supporters, and biased media networks. Social media was one of the most interesting facets of this election. Both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton were extremely active across the big three platforms: Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Trump even went so far to say that social media played the key role in his victory.